Janazah Salaah in Masjid?

Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) had asked the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum) to bring the Janazah of Hazrat Sa'd Bin Abu Waqqaas (Radiyallahu Anhu) into the Masjid so that she also can participate in his Janazah Salah from her house which is adjacent to the Masjid. The Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum) were shocked by this request. But Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) replied that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) had once performed the Janazah Salah of Hazrat Suhail Bin Al Baidwah (Radiyallahu Anhu) in the Masjid. Similarly, Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umar (Radiyallahu Anhuma) has reported that the Janazah Salah of Hazrat Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu) was performed in the Masjid. This gives the impression that it is permissible to perform the Janazah Salah in the Masjid. But it seems that this was not a regular and established practice. It could be performed occasionally for specific reasons. That is why the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum) had found the request of Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) weird and strange, because according to them, it was a prohibited practice. Probably, they may have found it strange and forbidden on the basis of a Hadith that Abu Houraira (Radiyallahu Anhu) reported, according to which Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

“There is nothing for the one who performs the Janazah Salah in the Masjid.”

That is, there is no reward for performing the Janazah Salah in the Masjid. Thus, according to a Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) practiced it and according to another Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) prohibited it. In principle, in such a situation, the Hadith that prohibits must be given priority because it is more likely that this was permissible before but later on, it was prohibited. And the attitude of the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum), who had found the request of Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) strange, supports and reinforces this possibility.

[English version of "Namaz janaza dans Masjid?" – Al Jamiat – Vol.3 No.12]